City welcomes Alberta Treaty Hockey Games with unique public art installation

As Lethbridge gets ready to welcome more than 100 teams from across the province for the Alberta Treaty Hockey Games this week, there will be a unique public art installation helping the tournament skate smoothly.

Kainai Nation artist, Tyler Soop, was commissioned by the City to create a design for one of the ice re-surfacers at the ATB Centre where tournament games will be held. Soop says his personal connection to the design stems from family members lived experience and is a way to help bring attention to Canada's colonial history.

"I started my company SoopDesignCo. five years ago and in doing so I try to maintain a close connection to my community and let that influence my work," says Soop. "I try to take any chance I can get to bring attention to the horrors of Canada's dark past.  I have family members that were enrolled in Residential Schools, so for me and my community, the past is not forgotten."

General Manager of Recreation & Culture, Robin Harper, says this is an opportunity to showcase public art in a unique way for residents and visitors.

"Lethbridge plays host to a number of winter sporting tournaments where we have an engaged audience watching and often waiting for the ice to be cleared," says Harper. "It's a great way to display public art to residents and visitors in a way they may not have seen before."

The Alberta Treaty Hockey Games kicks off on Thursday, April 14 and wraps up on Sunday, April 17. The tournament will be played at multiple arenas across the city and for details and schedules, head to the organization's Facebook page.